Caroline Crosses the Line
Posted By Kathleen David on December 8, 2007
And finds out there can be major consequences to her actions. Yesterday Peter took Caroline with him to the gym. They have childcare there that is very good. Recently they have instituted a rule that personal toys were not allowed. We happen to know that Caroline and a couple of the other kids around her age are responsible for the change in policy because they brought toys in and wouldn’t share. Caroline pleaded to bring in her stuffed Dalmatian toys. She solemnly promised her father that she would share. The people who run childcare were informed that if she didn’t then they could take the toys away until Caroline was leaving. Well she didn’t share and had one of her biggest meltdowns to date. 20 minutes into his workout, Peter had to turn around and come home with her.
Now normally with this sort of behavior and most others that we like to discourage, we have her stand in the corner for a set period of time to think about what she did. This one was a bit beyond the usual time so Peter had me clean out her play tent of all its toys and other comforts leaving her with her blanket and her pillow. She lost the blankets that enclosed the tent so she was visible to us. She was informed she was to stay in the tent unless she had to go potty and think about what she did. She cried and tried to make cute to get out of the situation but we held fast. So she cried herself to sleep and took a nap. When she woke up, she went potty and back into the tent until dinnertime. She was reassured that we loved her but we didn’t like her behavior much. And I don’t think she will be taking anything to the gym anytime real soon. Also it is probably better we did this before her birthday party so sharing is a giving rather than a concession.
Ariel and I went to see Golden Compass. Ariel’s one line review is “It was jaw dropping”. I thought it was pretty well done. The look was wonderful (very steampunk) and the cast was superb especially the kids. The Ice Bears were amazing as were the daemons. Good one to see on a big screen since there is a lot of detail in the world they created. It is worth both time and money to see.
I will say to the concerns of some about the religious aspects of the film, What religious aspects of the film? I must say that I am about as disappointed about the campaign against this film as I was by the campaign for “Last Temptation of Christ” which I though did a great job of explaining the human and the divine and how it could inhabit one person and the free will allowed to Christ just like the rest of us. This has no more religion in it than Harry Potter. Yes, Pullman has said in interviews that he was trying to write a counter to all the Christian based fantasy out there and sited the Chronicles of Narnia as an example. I didn’t see the Christian themes in Narnia either until I was much older and well versed in religion. This is a great film for children, school age and up, with minimal blood (yeah there is some violence) and no swears or smoking or sexual content.
I am grateful for good films for the whole family.
About the Golden Compass: I read in a newspaper that the religious aspect was in the book but they changed it in the movie. I don’t know if it’s true as I have seen neither, but it could explain the campaigns because people made their minds about the movie based on the book (or at least existing opinion about the book (because as we all know you don’t have to know something to protest about it)).
P.S. Sorry for my english.
Kath, most of the “protest” against Golden Compass that I am aware of is that they did remove the obvious references to the religion aspect of the film, and it has some people concerned that they would see the movie and then get the books thinking that they are the same as the movie. (yes, that is one heck of a run-on sentence…)
Heck of a meltdown with Caroline, but those things happen to every parent. Personally I think that the way parents handle those situations at that age determine how a child will behave later in life.
Hope that she does have a great birthday party though.
I’m split on Caroline’s behavior. Frankly, I’m not a big of kids sharing things like toys in public places like doctor’s offices, schools and daycare. Kids are already walking germ farms and they’re ALWAYS sticky.
On the other hand, I don’t like tantrums either, so…